Mr Blair combined reward for loyalty with a streak of ruthlessness as he reshaped the middle and lower ranks of his administration and promoted women. Twenty-two ministers left the Government - only four of them of their own accord. The rest were asked to resign, with Downing Street stressing that in politics "as in the modern world, there are no jobs for life".

He quit the Welsh Assembly last year and returned to the back benches at Westminster. He returns to the Government as minister of state at the new Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Two junior ministers who have proved their commitment to Mr Blair's modernising agenda gained promotion.

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Stephen Timms, former financial secretary to the Treasury, becomes a minister of state at the Department of Education and Skills, with responsibility for schools. Margaret Hodge, former junior employment minister, moves to the same department as minister of state where she will be responsible for universities.

Lord (Jeff) Rooker, who was given a peerage in Mr Blair's pre-election honours after standing down as MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, moves to the Home Office, with responsibility for asylum. Mr Blair has used the reshuffle to reward his close political associates. Sally Morgan, his long-serving political secretary, receives an immediate life peerage and becomes a minister of state at the Cabinet Office, responsible for women's issues.

Douglas Alexander, the MP for Paisley South, who ran the general election campaign with Gordon Brown, enters the Government as minister for e-commerce and competitiveness. Several women MPs, particularly from the 1997 intake, are brought into the Government for the first time.

Ruth Kelly (Bolton W) becomes economic secretary at the Treasury; Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central) a junior minister in the Lord Chancellor's Department, and Maria Eagle (Liverpool Garston) becomes a parliamentary secretary at the new Department for Work and Pensions - her twin sister Angela Eagle is a junior Home Office minister.

Sally Keeble (Northampton North) becomes a junior minister at the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions; Hazel Blears (Salford) becomes parliamentary secretary at the Health Department. Hilary Benn - the son of Tony Benn - was given his first government job as a junior minister at the Department of International Development.

Women ministers in the Lords have been promoted. Lady Scotland moves from the Foreign Office to the Lord Chancellor's Department. Lady Symons of Verham Dean, formerly a defence minister, becomes minister for trade - post split between the Foreign Office and the Department of Trade and Industry - as well as deputy leader of the Lords.

The biggest clear-out was at the ill-fated Department of Culture, Media and Sport in the wake of the fiascos over the lottery licence and the collapse of plans to rebuild Wembley Stadium.

Lady Blackstone, formerly an education minister, becomes arts minister. The post of sports minister is upgraded to minister of state level and is filled by Richard Caborn, formerly a trade minister. Chris Mullin, a junior minister at the International Development Department, quit the Government of his own accord.